A New Teenager!!

Yesterday our precious Christmas baby, Deer, turned 13!! She had a different day with Mom gone for surgery. She spent the morning practicing ballet with Dot and a dear friend who's home from college. We had Papa Murphy's pizza for supper with fudgy chocolate cake with ice cream for dessert. We are planning a birthday party with her friends in a week or so. She is so patient with the necessary scheduling that happens with a birthday at this time of year. I'll have to post pictures later, as they are still on the camera.

Deer plays the flute, takes ballet lessons (she just got her first pair of pointe shoes a few months ago), takes tap lessons, reads and reads, keeps a scap book, enjoys learning about flowers, started a wooded flower garden at her grandparents this summer, enjoys Bible study, leads song time for the Sparks Awana group, helps in the nursery when her time comes up, babysits for others occasionally and for mom more frequently, helps Mom and Dot get out the door for things, remembers details on To Do lists, works hard on her schoolwork, is doing a speech duo with her brother, is a fast typer on the computer and loves to e-mail, hates to miss church and Sunday school, keeps a blog, journals, is learning how to sew and making a number of sewn Christmas presents, and spends time with friends. She is a delight to all who know her (well, except for occasional sibling spats, but they keep life interesting :-). She's busy and a blessing.
We are so grateful God blessed us with Deer!!

Happy Birthday, Deer!! We sure do love you!!

PTL It's Done!!

Yesterday I had the cancer on my nose removed. It was a long day, but I am so thankful it is done. I will live with a curly scar on my nose, but it will eventually fade. At least my nose shape is the same. Whew! My Dear Husband went along to keep me company. He brought the camera. Not recommended if you don't like having your picture taken every 20 minutes. :-) I think he was bored. :-) I won't gross you out with any gory pictures. I had it removed at one place and then a plastic surgeon did the closing. I was up at 4:30 the morning of the surgery, just nerves even though I kept telling myself I wasn't nervous, so I sure was tired last night.
Again...PTL It's done!!

Fingerprinting

The other day I went to get fingerprinted. I will be volunteering at CAP and needed it done. I didn't think much about it ahead of time, but as the lady tried and tried to get a good fingerprint, I realized I really should have lotioned up the last few days. She even asked if I had been working with caustic chemicals lately! No, unless you count washing a lot of dishes! :-)

Rosie's Antics

Guess what our dog figured out how to do - Open the sliding back door!! He scratches with his paws until it opens. We couldn't figure out who kept leaving the back door open - it's a little cold for open doors!! I think we are going to have to change her name from Rosie to Rascal!!

How Real Men Light Candles

With a blow torch of course!!Yes, he really did bring in the blowtorch to help with a candle that the boys were complaining about because its wick was too short. But it was just too funny to see him lighting candles with it! We were having a fun meal. My brother treated us to some great foods and we were all so excited. We had a delicious meal with sparkling grape juice. We toasted each other and had fun telling what we liked about each other. It was such a nice time. Loud, but nice. Darling was fussy and eventually just napped. The rest of the crew just got loud. It's our family. :-)

What a Day!

Mondays are always crazy. We have school in the morning, then starting at 1:30, there are ballet classes, followed by more ballet and tap classes while music classes take place up the hill at Papa and Grandma's. I participate with the adult tap class. Deer takes ballet and tap. Duke & Dessert take tap. Dime takes guitar lessons, and Deer takes flute lessons. Dot teaches the ballet lessons. It is busy! Then around 6, I leave for CAP with my two boys and 3 other boys while lessons are still going strong. There is always something going on at CAP, so I'm busy all evening and arrive home about 9:45. That's a normal Monday.

Today was extra crazy as a Mom that usually comes and helps with stuff in the kitchen was home sick, and another Mom who frequently is there and is a help was also home sick. I had agreed to prepare supper for the crew (usually the two moms take turns, as they are so sweet), and I wanted to have cookies for Christmas, but wow, it was a zoo of a day. I picked up some kids (above mom was sick - so glad I'm better, I'd much rather pick up). I made the cookie batter last night, but forgot to bake the cookies. I went from one thing to the next all day, and never had a chance to bake them. We were trying to figure out costume questions with two classes, plus other stuff. I meant to make a salad, but just ran out of time. I made the spagetizza (which turned out great - if I do say so myself), but didn't get anything else made for with it. No one complained or seemed to notice. (such a nice crew) I came home late from CAP (10:15 - busy night) and looked at Darling who is still up and way too chatty and realized I never got her dressed today. She wore red sweat pants and a red patterned sweatshirt over her pj top, so it didn't look too bad, but still!! Things I never thought I'd do as a mom. Not the leaving the child in pj's all day (though I'd never dream of doing that when the kids were young), but leaving the child in pj's all day and having tons of company over (I still can't believe myself).

Cold and Grace :-)

We are experiencing a cold snap! Brrrr. Yesterday when I went jogging, I only had a little hole to look out of. My head was hot, my nose was cold, and the rest of me was ok. I had to jog on the road, because our driveway still wasn't plowed, and I didn't want to jog through the snow.

The boys enjoyed some time outdoors, but not too long with the cold. The older girls were at work all afternoon, so they just experienced the weather to and from the car and house. Darling is loving the snow! She laughed and laughed outside and plopped in the snow with glee written all over her face. So cute!

I'm happy for the kids who enjoy the snow, but this is not my favorite season with all the snow boots, snow pants, snow coats, hats, scarves, and mittens all over the mud room. Our coat closet is really too small for our family, so it is constantly spilling out in the winter. Plus, when they come in from the snow, it has to dry first laying around the mudroom. Lord, please give me grace for this season.

New Family Picture!!

As you can see above, today my Dad came over and he was so patient as we spent time trying to capture a family picture. :-) I wish I could take a head shot of different poses and superimpose them on one to get the perfect picture.
After several sets of pictures, we settled on the pose we liked the best. Then it was a matter of getting everyone to smile and look their best at the same time. Plus, it was cold! :-) I've been meaning to do this for a long time.
Warming up inside:Part of me could pick the picture apart, but I know I will like it more and more as time goes on. I did realize later, that Dessert is not wearing his glasses. His one pair is broke and we couldn't find the other pair, and I forgot about it at picture time. At least we have a new family picture!! :-) Thanks, Dad!!

Papa & Darling:
The guys:
We tried to capture a shot of just the kids, but Darling was done with pictures!! :-) Maybe another day...

Treasured/ God Gave Us Love/ God Gave Us Christmas - Book Reviews

The following set of books were so much fun to review. I'd easily recommend each one.

"Treasured" is a delightful reminder of treasures God has tucked away in His Word to us. Have you ever stuck away a movie stub, a favorite doll, a rock, a ribbon, a note from a dear friend? Have you gone back to contemplate the memory and learning experience each item represents?
Leigh McLeory does this in her book "Treasured."
“The idea for the book came from a cigar box filled with odds and ends of my grandfather’s life that arrived a few months after his death. Sifting through the objects in the box, I experienced him in a fresh new way. This made me wonder what treasures might be tucked away in Scripture that could frame God for me in an equally intimate, tangible way. This process also helped me uncover my own “treasures” of my walk with the Lord: objects that remind me of my history with him and his faithfulness to me,” says Leigh McLeroy. "
Leigh's insightful reminders are thought-provoking, making me think about the little scraps and mementos I might have in my life as a reminder of my walk with God. Snapshots of times that were great memories and/or turning points in our relationship.
I love how Leigh takes each treasure and relates it to her life and our lives with a living message for today. For example, the olive branch brought back to Noah in the ark, and the reminder that God's mercies are new every morning. So true!

Leigh McLeroy is the author of The Beautiful Ache and The Sacred Ordinary. An avid collector and recorder of everyday moments, words, and wonders, Leigh’s keen eye for God’s presence in ordinary life infuses her writing and living with a deep, insistent joy. A frequent conference and event speaker, the author makes her home in Houston, Texas, and posts often on www.leighmcleroy.com and www.wednesdaywords.com.

Lisa Tawn Bergren's delightful stories reach the heart of the issues we want to discuss with our children. Writing in a gentle way, Lisa touches the heart of why God loves us, wants us to love each other, and desires that we love even bothersome critters - like otters. In "God Gave Us Love" Grandpa Bear and Little Cub have an adventure together while they talk about the love God has for us and wants us to share with others.

"God Gave Us Christmas" would make a wonderful book this Christmas for a dear child on your list. Explaining the heart of Christmas in beautiful pictures and gentle words, Mama Bear and Little Cub take an journey to realize the best gift of Christmas - Jesus.
My almost 3 year old really enjoyed these books, and her older brothers, 7 & 10, did as well.

Lisa Tawn Bergren is the award-winning author of nearly thirty titles, totaling more than 1.5 million books in print. She writes in a broad range of genres, from adult fiction to devotional. God Gave Us Love follows in Lisa’s classic tradition of the best-selling God Gave Us You. She lives in Colorado, with her husband, Tim, and their children, Olivia, Emma, and Jack.

To learn more about or purchase these books at RandomHouse.com visit:

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400074815

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400074471

ttp://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400071753

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Family Picture and My Nose?

We really need to take a new family picture! Hope to do that within the next month or so. We'll see what happens to my nose.
My nose? Yep. I found out that I have basal cell carcinoma on my nose. What they call the "good cancer" - local, slow growing, and removable. I meet with a dermatologist this morning for a consult. Please pray I remember and know the right questions to ask. Also, I would really like to do it before January, when we start a new year of deductibles.
We'll see what the Lord wills...